Tennessee is one of a half dozen states to sue a drug manufacturer for its alleged role creating and perpetuating the ongoing opioid epidemic across the U.S.

The office of Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery announced Tuesday it filed suit against Purdue Pharma for "unlawful marketing and promotion of OxyContin" and other drugs, and accuses the company of fueling an opioid crisis that claims the lives of three Tennesseans every day.

"Our office has conducted an extensive investigation into Purdue’s highly aggressive marketing practices and other unlawful conduct," Slatery said in a press release. "We believe Purdue’s conduct has been unconscionable, and we intend to hold the company accountable."

Judge Duane Slone chats with Mallie Morre and her 3-year-old daughter Sophia at the recovery house on Wednesday Jan. 18, 2017, in White Pine, Tenn. Sophia was the first baby born at the 4th Judicial Recovery House, which is a home for women who are recovering from drug addiction.
Lacy Atkins, Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Judge Duane Slone gets a big hug from 3-year-old Sophia Moore while he visits the women at the recovery house on Wednesday Jan. 18, 2017, in White Pine, Tenn. Sophia was the first baby born at the 4th Judicial Recovery House, which is a home for women who are recovering from drug addiction.
Lacy Atkins, Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Circuit Judge Duane Slone signs a graduating certificate for one of the individuals in the recovery program Thursday Jan. 19, 2017 at the courthouse in Dandridge, Tenn.
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Judge Duane Slone reacts as he sits in a meeting with attorneys, officers and counselors involved with the 4th Judicial Recovery Court Program Thursday Jan. 19, 2017 at the courthouse in Dandridge, Tenn.
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Circuit Judge Duane Slone reaches to pick up 1-year-old Gabriel from his mother, Margo Azbill, 37, during her court visit Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017, in Dandridge, Tenn. Azbill has been in recovery court and clean for 16 months after using opioids for 22 years.
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Lydia Maggard, 23, draws a dice from a fishbowl to determine what price she wins as a result for a clean report in Judge Duane Slone court on Thursday Jan. 19, 2017, in Dandridge, Tenn.
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Circuit Court Judge Duane Slone questions an inmate about his opioid use in court Dec. 13, 2016, in Sevierville, Tenn. Slone has seen the opioid crisis balloon from the time he took the bench in 1989 until now.
Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Circuit Court Judge Duane Slone, puts on his rob before sits on the bench on Tues. Dec. 13, 2016, in Sevierville, Tenn. He has seen the opioid crisis balloon from the time he took the bench in 1989 until now.
Lacy Atkins, Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Circuit Court Judge Duane Slone, sits in his office on Tues. Dec. 13, 2016, in Sevierville, Tenn. He has seen the opioid crisis balloon from the time he took the bench in 1989 until now.
Lacy Atkins, Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Circuit Court Judge Duane Slone, sits in his office on Tues. Dec. 13, 2016, in Sevierville, Tenn. He has seen the opioid crisis balloon from the time he took the bench in 1989 until now.
Lacy Atkins, Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Circuit Court Judge Duane Slone, sits in his office on Tues. Dec. 13, 2016, in Sevierville, Tenn. He has seen the opioid crisis balloon from the time he took the bench in 1989 until now.
Lacy Atkins, Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Circuit Court Judge Duane Slone, returns to his office after sitting on the bench on Tues. Dec. 13, 2016, in Sevierville, Tenn. He has seen the opioid crisis balloon from the time he took the bench in 1989 until now.
Lacy Atkins, Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Circuit Judge Duane Slone sits in his office on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016, in Sevierville, Tenn. He has seen the opioid crisis balloon from the time he took the bench in 1989 until now.
Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Tennessee's lawsuit, filed in Knox County Circuit Court, accuses Purdue of violating the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act by making unlawful claims about its opioid products, violating its 2007 settlement with the state and creating a "statewide public nuisance" through the company's practices.

Some of the false and deceptive claims the state accuses Purdue of making about its opioid products include:

Understating the risk of addiction from opioids by perpetuating the disproven concept of pseudoaddiction, which encouraged physicians to prescribe more opioids

Falsely representing that its opioid products produced fewer peaks and valleys than short-acting opioids, leading to less euphoria, less abuse and more effective pain relief

Representing that its opioids could improve a user's sleep or act as a sleep aid

Broadly representing that its products are safer or more effective than competing opioids and non-opioids

Failing to disclose that elderly patients are at greater risk of respiratory depression from OxyContin and Butrans while making claims about the use of opioids in elderly patients

Failing to disclose that low doses of OxyContin in elderly patients most often lead to higher doses

The state's lawsuit accuses Purdue of creating the market for OxyContin, an extended-release opioid, while misrepresenting its potential for addiction and targeting some of the highest prescribing providers of opioids through its marketing campaign.

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Wendell Taylor, center, was addicted to painkillers but has gone through recovery and got his chip marking one year of sobriety in December. He now works with Cul2vate, a nonprofit that grows food for those in need while serving as a life- and work-skills training program for people in recovery.
Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

Wendell Taylor, right, was addicted to pain killers but has gone through recovery and got his 1 year chip in December. He now works with Cul2vate, a food growing ministry where he will soon be planting tomatoes in these pots.
Wednesday Feb. 22, 2017, in Nashville, TN
Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

Wendell Taylor was addicted to pain killers but has gone through recovery and got his 1 year chip in December. He now works with Cul2vate, a food growing ministry.
Wednesday Feb. 22, 2017, in Nashville, TN
Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

Wendell Taylor, right, listens as Joey Lankford, Ex Dir of Cul2vate, gives him some advice before starting a day of work on their farm.
Cul2vate is a food growing ministry that helps with the transition for recovering addicts.
Wednesday Feb. 22, 2017, in Nashville, TN
Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

Wendell Taylor, right, talks with his Joey Lankford, Ex Dir of Cul2vate, a food growing ministry that helps with the transition for recovering addicts.
Taylor was addicted to pain killers but has gone through recovery and got his 1 year chip in December. Wednesday Feb. 22, 2017, in Nashville, TN
Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

Marcella Robertson holds her daughter Shiloh as she sings with her husband, Ben, at the beginning of fellowship at the Celebrate Recovery program in Dover, Tenn., on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017.
Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Ben Robertson reads the 12 steps of recovery to the men's group during the Celebrate Recovery program in Dover, Tenn., on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. Celebrate Recovery is a recovery program that uses 12 steps and the Beatitudes to combat a wide range of issues, including chemical addictions.
Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

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The lawsuit alleges Purdue "had knowledge in many cases of signs of abuse or diversion from the Tennessee providers and pharmacies that its sales representatives continue to make sales calls and ignore red flags," according to a memorandum in support of the state's lawsuit.

But it's unclear when the public will be able to see the 270-page complaint.

Slatery's office requested that the complaint be filed under a temporary seal that will expire within 10 days of the filing unless Purdue takes action to extend it.

The drug company previously claimed the information produced to the state during its investigation is confidential.

A spokesman for Purdue Pharma issued a statement to the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee on Tuesday evening.

“We are disappointed that after months of good faith negotiations working toward a meaningful resolution to help the state of Tennessee address the opioid crisis, the attorney general has unilaterally decided to pursue a costly and protracted litigation process," said Bob Josephson, communications executive director for Purdue Pharma.

"We vigorously deny these allegations and look forward to the opportunity to present our defense.”

More from The Tennessean

Attorneys general in Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Nevada and North Dakota also announced lawsuits against Purdue Pharma on Tuesday.

Nashville attorney Mark Chalos, who is representing Metro Nashville in a multi-district lawsuit against major opioid manufacturers and distributors in Cleveland, Ohio, commended the Attorney General's lawsuit on Tuesday.

"The Tennessee Attorney General has recognized that the civil justice system is an important way to hold the billion-dollar opioid industry accountable for the harm it has caused," Chalos said in a statement. "Some counties and cities in Tennessee recognized this long ago and already have a seat at the table to fight for taxpayers and families in their communities."

In 2007, Purdue Pharma agreed to pay $600 million in fines to resolve criminal and civil charges related to misbranding its opioid products.